Perennials, usually tall reeds, rhizomatous. Culms usually robust, rarely rather slender, hollow. Leaf blades cauline, broadly linear, tough, flat, base rounded or cordate; ligule membranous with minutely ciliolate margin. Inflorescence a large, copiously branched, plumose panicle of numerous spikelets. Spikelets wedge-shaped, laterally compressed, florets 2–5, disarticulating above glumes and between florets; rachilla internodes glabrous; glumes subequal, narrow, as long as spikelet, membranous, 3–5-veined; floret callus laterally pilose; lemmas narrow, membranous, rounded on back, 3–7-veined, plumose below middle with spreading silky-white hairs, tapering to an entire or bidentate apex tipped by a straight awnlet; palea 1/2–2/3 length of lemma body, keels glabrous or shortly ciliate. x = 12.

Three species: Mediterranean region to China; two species in China.